christep, the thing is that the airline gets fined if an immigration irregularity happens and possibly even if the regulation authority finds that a pax boarded a wrong domesting flight. If that is right or not, it's immaterial to this discussion.
Once again, nobody is questioning the fact that crew can request to see passes at any time and the pax should be polite in showing it or asking for a little time to find it. Just like in any other normal situation.
If you put the above in discussion, you're opening the way to more lecturing and arrogant attitude that as you can see, never fails to appear.